Vescio v Guardianship Tribunal of New South Wales [2009] NSWDC 341

Reported Decision : 10 DCLR (NSW) 83

New South Wales District Court

CITATION: Vescio v Guardianship Tribunal of New South Wales [2009] NSWDC 341

HEARING DATE(S): 9, 10 and 16 November, 15 December 2009

JUDGMENT DATE: 15 December 2009

JURISDICTION: Civil

JUDGMENT OF: Gibson DCJ

(1) The plaintiff's proceedings filed on 23 June 2009 and notice of motion dismissed pursuant to r 13.4 and struck out pursuant to r 14.28 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW). DECISION: (2) The plaintiff pay the costs of this motion and the defendant's costs of these proceedings. (3) Exhibits retained for 28 days.

CATCHWORDS: TORT - defamation - absolute privilege - plaintiff sues Guardianship Tribunal - application for summary judgment - s 27 Defamation Act 2005 (NSW) - s 74 Guardianship Act 1987 (NSW) - proceedings dismissed with costs

Defamation Act 2005 (NSW), s 27 LEGISLATION CITED: Guardianship Act 1987 (NSW), s 74 Limitation Act 1969 (NSW), ss 14B and 56A Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 13.4, 14.28, 14.30(2), 15.19(1)(e) and 15.19(2)

Al-Shennag v Statewide Roads Ltd and Anor [2006] NSWSC 1226 Boland v Dillon (No.2) [2007] NSWDC 77 Cabassi v Vila (1940) 64 CLR 130 Cumberland v Clarke (1996) 39 NSWLR 514 Favell v Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd [2005] HCA 52 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125 Hargraves v Bretherton [1959] 1 QB 45 CASES CITED: Hercules v Phease [1994] 2 VR 411 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Hitchcock [2007] NSWCA 364 Lee v Cha [2008] NSWCA 13 Malouf v Malouf [2006] NSWCA 83 Mann v O'Neill (1997) 191 CLR 204 R v Beydoun (1990) 32 NSWLR 256 Rajski v Carson (1986) 4 NSWLR 735 Von Reisner v Commonwealth (No 2) [2009] FCAFC 172